Monday, June 29, 2015

Five Film Remakes That Should be Considered for Michael Fassbender

When
I was a kid growing up in the 70s, I used movies to escape and daydream from
the mundane of my youth. So it’s no surprise that I would idolize select
celebrities over the years and wind up placing my focus on one particular actor
these days. Every summer, Hollywood gives us a rehash of an awesome classic
movie or a film we didn’t even like back in the day, and this summer is no
different. With the success and brilliance of Tom Hardy in Mad Max: Fury Road,
it got me to thinking about what films would I like to see Michael Fassbender star
in a remake of.

Here
are five films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that I think would be fantastic if they
were re-made with Michael as the lead actor:

Fatal
Attraction (1987)

This
sexy thriller starring Michael Douglas (Dan Gallagher), give us a glimpse into
the dangers of a weekend bootie call with a dangerous colleague. Michael
Fassbender is the perfect age to play a rising star lawyer in NYC with a pretty
wife and cute kid, a dog and… a rabbit. In the remake, I would love to see a
woman of color as either Michael’s wife, or better yet, the crazy mistress
played by Glenn Close (Alex). In a 2015 version, with social media and the
internet controlling our lives, we can only imagine how the pissed off mistress
can seek revenge on Dan through SM after rebuffing her. Co-star suggestion: Zoe
Saldana

Taxi
Driver (1976)

Films
in the 70s were a lot bolder than films are today in this PC society we live in,
so I don’t know if Hollywood has the guts to remake this. Also, since it’s such
a great classic, and played by the brilliant Robert DeNiro as Travis Bickle,
would anyone dare to remake it without fear of it failing spectacularly because
no one could top DeNiro’s disturbed loner taxi driver in NYC? In today’s
adaptation, Michael Fassbender could perhaps play an Uber driver (no,
seriously) who suffers from insomnia and is available at all hours of the day,
driving around, and watching all the filth and greed that takes place all
around him, until he becomes attracted to one of his riders who also happens to
work in the campaign offices of a political figure. Toss in a teenage rising
star as a teen prostitute for someone for Travis to save and redeem him, and he’ll
appear more like the cool anti-hero that films are lacking today. How about it
Hollywood, can’t we consider Taxi or Uber Driver?

The
Crying Game (1992)

Set
in Ireland – check. Use of an Irish accent – check. Michael’s history of
playing a character associated with the IRA – check. The Crying Game is the
youngest of my remake requests, but it’s a classic like Taxi Driver that I fear
will never get remade, because it’s brilliant as it is. However, when I
recently watched this film, I imagined Michael as Ferguson (Stephen Rea’s
character), and David Oyelowo as Jodie (Forrest Whittaker). Who would play Dil,
I don’t know, but with transgender folk out, loud, and proud these days, the
actor for this part could be found. This is a love story with a twist and crazy
politics that still ring true today, and Michael could knock this performance
out the park with the right script.

Three
Men and a Baby (1987)

When
this movie came out, it was crazy popular, and I still love it to this day,
even though I haven’t seen it in a while. And with that said, it says a lot how
this film resonated with me to make it to my top five remake choices. This
would be a great comedic adventure for Michael, and I see him playing the role
that Tom Selleck played. It will still be set in NYC (yes, this is the third NY
based film), and Michael would be the alpha-male architect who reluctantly
becomes enchanted with a baby girl who was left at the door of the townhouse he
shares with his roommates, with one of them being the father. Co-star
considerations: James McAvoy in the Steve Guttenberg role, and Bradley Cooper
in the Ted Danson role. Now with these three guys, who in the hell wouldn’t
want to see this funny film?

Dirty
Harry (1971)

My
favorite potential remake of all films, Dirty Harry has Michael Fassbender
written all over it! An Irish cop with a bad attitude in San Francisco is
confronted with the task of drawing out a completely sadistic psychopath
(co-star suggestion: Paul Dano) who is on the loose causing havoc in the city.
In order to take this guy out by any means necessary, the mayor needs Dirty
Harry. Michael has already confessed that he’s a “complicated” person, so he
could understand and empathize with Harry in his no holds barred way of dealing
with scum and “punks” on the street. Update the film with current popular drugs
and how the killer would use social media to threaten the city and its citizens,
and we have Dirty Harry 2020.

These
are just a few of the dozens upon dozens of films from these eras that could
benefit from a brilliant remake. I don’t like films to be remade just for the
hell of it, only when technology and modern themes can be used to reinvigorate
these classics for a newer generation, and for fans of the original to enjoy
both. So, what do you think of these suggestions? What films do you have in
mind that you would like to see be remade with Michael Fassbender in the lead,
or co-star in?

2 comments:

1. Eagle's Wing (1979, Western originally with Sam Waterston), but I'm not sure if I would have Michael as Pike or White Bull. It's a story about two men who are after a precious horse.

2. Hoffman (1970, originally with Peter Sellers) but to play that character convincingly... maybe in about ten years. A story about an accountant who blackmails a colleague into spending a week with him. I like this film because nothing turns out as one expects, even if it is sometimes a little bit old fashioned.3. Closet Land (1991, originally with Alan Rickman) a sadistic interrogator accuses a writer to hide political messages in her children's book.

The next two are German films that were successful in their time:4. Es geschah am hellichten Tag (1958, thriller, It Happened in Broad Daylight) about the murderer of a small girl (I think he could play either Matthäi or Schrott), based on a novella by Friedrich Dürrenmatt5. Schachnovelle (1960, drama, Brainwashed) about a political prisoner who plays (and wins) after his release a chess game against a world champion without having ever touched a chess peace before, based on a novella by Stefan Zweig. I would like him to play von Basil.

And at last a more faithful (and maybe more modern) adaptation of Paul Gallico's 'Love of Seven Dolls', he might be a brilliant Captain Coq. The film 'Lili' with Mel Ferrer is very, very roughly based on that plot. If you've read the novella, you know what I mean.

I might come up with several dozens of romantic comedies given time :-)

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June 3, 2018: After nearly 10 years, Fassinating Fassbender has ceased production of articles covering Michael Fassbender. For the next few years or so, this blog will remain for archival purposes. If you have any questions please email Simone, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, at simonetvc@gmail.com. Future articles will be featured about Michael at my Theatre of Zen blog.

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